The present invention generally relates to earth working apparatus and, in a preferred embodiment thereof, more particularly relates to wear runner structures for inhibiting surface abrasion wear on earth working apparatus such as, for example, excavating buckets and the like.
Wear runner assemblies are commonly installed on various surfaces of earth working structures, such as excavating buckets, to inhibit abrasion wear on such surfaces during use of the earth working structures. A typical wear runner assembly includes a base which is welded or otherwise anchored to the surface to be shielded from abrasion wear, and a wear runner member or shroud which is positioned over the base and releasably interlocked therewith. To hold the wear member on the base during use of the earth working structure, a separate locking mechanism is used to fasten the wear member to the base and maintain the wear member in an interlocked relationship with the base until removal of the wear member from the base is desired.
Various problems, limitations and disadvantages have typically been associated with wear member/base locking mechanisms of conventional construction. For example, some conventional locking mechanisms must be forcibly struck to dislodge them, thereby creating a potential safety hazard. Other types of conventional locking mechanisms can be dislodged during earth working operations, thereby causing the wear member to fall off its underlying base structure, or can seize up in a manner requiring them to be burned off to permit removal of the wear runner from its associated base. Additionally, many locking mechanisms tend to be tedious and time-consuming to remove and install. Still other types of conventional locking mechanisms, such as bolts extended through the wear runner, the base, and the underlying earth working structure wall, undesirably require access to opposite sides of the earth working structure wall for installation and removal of the wear runner, and additionally can weaken the earth working structure wall due to the necessity of forming a series of bolt holes therein.
As can readily be seen from the foregoing, a need exists for an improved wear runner assembly which eliminates or at least substantially reduces the above-mentioned problems, limitations and disadvantages commonly associated with conventional wear runner assemblies. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide such an improved wear runner assembly.